Anduril Roadrunner loitering munition interceptor (USA)
Roadrunner-M UAV after landing
The American company Anduril Industries has developed and presented a new unusual model of anti-aircraft weapons. Her Roadrunner project proposed the design of a loitering munition capable of maintaining watch on the ground and in the air, as well as finding and hitting air targets. It is expected that such a UAV will be able to complement traditional anti-aircraft weapons and increase the overall effectiveness of air defense.
Promising project
Anduril Industries (Costa Mesa, California) was founded several years ago. Its goal was immediately determined to be the development of new unmanned systems of various kinds, as well as corresponding technologies. To date, it has developed and brought to market several unmanned aerial vehicles and underwater vehicles of different classes.
As it became known, about two years ago the company began developing a new unmanned aerial vehicle Roadrunner (“Plantain Cuckoo”). To date, the bulk of the design work has been completed and even flight tests have been carried out, incl. with the implementation of a combat training mission.
Last week, Anduril Industries held a presentation of the Roadrunner project for the press, and on December 1 officially published materials about it. The main goals and objectives of the project, achieved results, etc. are revealed. In addition, they showed footage from tests of prototype products.
Close-up of the nose of the apparatus. The windows of the laser target sensor are presumably visible
The Roadrunner is a reusable (returnable) unmanned aerial vehicle capable of carrying a variety of payloads. Thus, the Roadrunner-M combat UAV was created, designed for air patrolling, searching and intercepting enemy aircraft.
It is reported that the new UAV has already been able to find its customer. It was an unnamed structure from the United States, interested in receiving special loitering ammunition. During recent tests, she was able to familiarize herself with a promising sample and its features. There is already an agreement to produce several hundred devices for this customer.
Unusual appearance
The Roadrunner project is based on an interesting concept. The creators call their development a reusable unmanned aerial platform capable of carrying different loads. At the same time, the installation of a warhead turns it into something between a reusable missile and a full-fledged aircraft. This concept is implemented using a number of interesting technical solutions and original components.
The Cuckoo is an aircraft-type UAV with several distinctive features. This is a tailless aircraft with a carbon fiber composite airframe. A fuselage with characteristic contours was used, formed by a combination of a large nose section and a wide main compartment. A low aspect ratio wing with an ogival leading edge and large area elevons is provided.
Start from a container
The dimensions and weight characteristics of the product are not specified. The developers report that it is not taller than the founders of the company - this indicates a length of no more than 1,7-1,8 m. The take-off weight was not revealed even at the level of hints.
To improve takeoff and landing performance, the Roadrunner is built using a tailsitter design. Takeoff and landing are carried out vertically and from a standstill. For starting, there are resettable master devices. Landing is carried out on four folding supports.
The Roadrunner's power plant consists of two small turbojet engines developed by Anduril Industries. Their thrust is sufficient for vertical takeoff and landing, as well as for horizontal flight at high subsonic speeds. The cost-effectiveness of such turbojet engines makes it possible to enter a given area near the launch position and maintain watch there. The possible flight range, loitering duration and combat radius are not reported.
Roadrunner, as a multi-purpose platform, can carry a variety of loads. At the same time, its combat modification called Roadrunner-M was the first to be presented. In this case, a homing head of an unnamed type is placed in the forward part of the fuselage. In the published photos and videos, a transparent nose cone is visible, which indicates the use of an optical or infrared seeker. Principles of guidance and control, degree of UAV autonomy during combat operations, etc. not specified.
The Roadrunner-M is equipped with a high-explosive fragmentation warhead of an undisclosed weight. A proximity fuse was used, probably based on laser target sensors.
An original launcher has been developed for “Cuckoo”, designated as Nest (“nest”). It is a rectangular container of sufficient size, equipped with a sliding lid. The standard equipment of the “nest” monitors the state of the UAV and exchanges data with the command post. If necessary, the container opens and the ammunition takes off. Several launchers can operate under the control of one operator at the command post. The possibility of autonomous operation of the “nest” for several months without maintenance or human intervention is declared.
The development company reports that the Roadrunner costs several hundred thousand dollars, but full-scale mass production will significantly reduce its price. So far we are talking about the production of hundreds of UAVs for an unnamed customer, and then it is planned to reach production volumes of thousands.
Potential Benefits
Anduril Industries does not name the exact characteristics of the new product, but claims that it has advantages over other unmanned and anti-aircraft systems. Its strengths include reduced preparation time for launch, increased payload capacity, increased flight range and maneuverability. It is alleged that some of these indicators are several times higher than those of other similar models on the market, although the specific developments with which the comparison is being made are not named.
In general, the presented Roardunner UAV is of some interest, both as an aerial platform and as a modification for air defense. This product is built on the basis of interesting ideas and technical solutions, which, at least in theory, allow for an increase in technical and performance characteristics. However, it is not yet entirely clear how fully the potential of basic ideas and solutions has been realized.
Detonation at the target
The device is built according to the “tailsitter” scheme, which in itself provides a number of important advantages. First of all, it simplifies the preparation of positions and deployment of equipment, as well as takeoff and landing - such a device does not require a large take-off platform. It was possible to successfully use this scheme, in part, due to a composite airframe with high weight perfection and new engines, probably developed specifically for the new UAV.
Such an aerial platform is proposed to be used to carry different loads and solve a wide range of tasks. At the same time, of all possible modifications, the first to be created was a combat one, designed to intercept air targets. Apparently, it is in the air defense sector that all the advantages of the new platform can be fully used - reaction speed, the ability to carry out long-term patrols, etc.
The concept of a loitering munition-interceptor of air targets is not new. There are several such projects from different countries, but so far this area has not received much development. The main reasons for this are related to the limited capabilities of such equipment and the lack of fundamental advantages over traditional air defense systems. However, it cannot be ruled out that in the future the situation will change, and UAVs will become real competitors to missiles. It is quite possible that Anduril Industries launched the Roadrunner project precisely with the expectation of future customer interest.
It is still unclear how effective the Roadrunner-M product will be. The development company revealed only its main features, but did not disclose other nuances and technical characteristics. This does not allow us to fully evaluate the project and determine its potential. At the same time, the company itself positively evaluates the new project and hopes that it will be of interest to customers. However, one cannot expect any other assessments from the creators.
The future is in question
In recent years, the United States has seen a sharp rise in the drone industry. Different companies create one or another model of this military or dual-use class. Most of these projects are based on well-developed developments, but some offer completely new ideas, incl. bold and original. Due to novelty, the creators of such projects expect to gain advantages over competitors.
Another example of this approach was the Roadrunner project from Anduril Industries. It proposes to combine unmanned technologies aviation, a tailsitter scheme and the idea of loitering anti-aircraft ammunition. The resulting sample has already been tested and has even shown its ability to solve its main task. What will happen next, time will tell. The chances of “Roadrunner” reaching the series or remaining at the experimental stage are still equal.
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